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The Head coach of Legon Cities, Bashir Hayford insist his side will not be a walkover when they play leaders Hearts of Oak on Thursday evening.

The two Accra-based sides will look horns in a match-day 30 fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Hearts of Oak, have been impressive in the last six games of Ghana premier league (GPL), winning five and drawing one.

The Royals have also turned their season around after a poor start to the season, moving from the drop zone.

Hayford believes Cities have what it takes to silence Hearts although he is anticipating a tough contest on the day.

“This is a big game but for us, we are just taking it to be one of the games ahead. We have prepared and trained extra hard for it. We know what is ahead of us and we are ready for it. We will go all out for three points, ” Hayford said at a presser ahead of the game.

“We are not going into this game as the underdogs. Not at all. We don’t need to be termed as the underdogs. This will be a very difficult game, of course. If we go into the game with the right mentality, mindset and attitude, we can win.”

The game will kick off at 6 pm local time.

Asante Kotoko head coach Mariano Barreto has announced 18-man squad list for their all-important Ghana Premier League match-week 30 game against Karela United on Wednesday.

The Porcupine Warriors will be hosting title contenders, Karela United in the cagey mid-week encounter at the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi.

Barreto has dropped some of his notable players such as Razak Abalora, Christopher Nettey, Mudasiru Salifu and Solomon Sarfo Taylor for the Karela United game.

Kickgh.com understands that the above-mentioned players left out of the traveling squad for Karela United game are being rested for the epic game against Hearts of Oak on Sunday.

Adom Frimpong and Andy Francis Kumi have rejoined their teammates for tomorrow’s game against Karela United after spending several weeks in the treatment room.

Below is the Asante Kotoko 18-man squad for Karela United game;

Goalkeepers

Felix Annan 

Kwame Baah 

Defenders

Imoro Ibrahim

Habib Mohammed 

Appau Andrews 

Wahab Adams 

Abdul Ganiyu Ismael 

Patrick Asmah

Samuel Frimpong 

Yussif Mubarik 

Midfielders

Fabio Gama Dos Santos 

Emmanuel Gyamfi 

Godfred Asiamah 

Augustine Okrah

Emmanuel Sarkodie 

Kwame Adom Frimpong 

Forwards

Evans Adomako

Andy Kumi

Source:Kickgh

Accra Hearts of Oak has applied for the increment in the 25% stadium attendance ahead of their titanic clash with rivals Asante Kotoko on Sunday at Accra Sports Stadium.

The two most glamorous clubs will lock horns on match-day 31 of the 2020/21 Ghana Premier League.

It would be recalled that Ghana’s Sports Ministry announced the return of football fans to the various match venues in April. They directed that only 25 per cent of the match venue capacity should be allowed for both domestic and international games.

The Ministry’s statement read; “The Ministry of Youth and Sports is delighted to announce that with immediate effect, approval is granted for football fans (25%) to return to the various League centres to watch both domestic and international competitions subject to observing all the national COVID-19 protocols and the GFA Matchday COVID-19 protocols”.

The Ghana Premier League clubs since that directive in mid-April have been adhering to it by admitting 25 per cent of the capacity of their venue.

But ahead of the country’s biggest fixture, the Phobians have applied for an increase in the stadium intake, requesting for 70 per cent .

”If even we are given 70% we will be able to cater for it, ” the club’s PRO Kwame Opare Addo told Oyerepa FM.

The game is scheduled to come on Sunday, June 27, 2021.

Asante Kotoko gaffer, Mariano Barreto has charged his players to be mentally tough and back up their performance in the last five games of the season because he cannot bring Messi or Ronaldo to play for the club.

The Porcupines on Saturday progressed to the round of 16 stage of the 2020/21 MTN FA Cup after posting a 3-1 win over lower-tier outfit Thunderbolt FC.

In a post-match interview, the Portuguese trainer said he is working extremely hard with the players at his disposal to ensure that they achieve their target for the season.

”We have our team with our players, these are our players, I cannot bring Messi or Ronaldo so these are the players we have,” he said.

“I told my players since at the beginning that, the shirt doesn’t win the match, if we want to win, we have to work hard and be discipline.

”I really don’t care about which team am playing with, my role is to educate my players and coach them.

” I don’t feel worried playing any team because if u win karela and loss the nextdisciplinedes then it got us nothing so the next match is most important for us, it is the same thing I told my players before this match [Thunderbolt], this cup match was the most difficult match we have because if we lose, we are out.

“Congratulation to all of them [Kotoko players], the supporters should continue helping the team because they [players] are doing their best, these boys are working hard, don’t blame them if anything because they are giving out all they have,” Barreto ended.

Asante Kotoko will next host Karela United at the Len Clay Stadium in a match-day 30 fixture of the Premier League on Wednesday before a trip to Accra to face rivals Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Chief Executive Officer of Tema City FC, Eric Jerry Aidoo has offered a piece of advice to the Ghana Football Association about the unending crowd violence at various league centres in the ongoing football season.

According to the vibrant football administrator, banning match venues is not the appropriate measure to curb the situation.

He, therefore, urged the football association to team up with the security agencies to arrest culprits to serve as a deterrent.

A bloody scene was recorded on Sunday afternoon at Ainyenase where some irate fans of Karela United assaulted the players and fans of Medeama during the MTN FA Cup round of 32 ties.

The incensed supporters also smashed the windows and windscreens of the bus of the Yellow and Mauves.

In a swift move last night, the Ghana Football Association placed an indefinite ban on the Crosby Awuah Memorial Park for the needless attack on the players, referees, fans, etc.

“Having CCTV around
and within the match venue will go a long way in curbing the problem of hooliganism especially as the perpetrators can easily be spotted and fished out, it is an inexpensive system that will help to save peoples lives and bring back the love agenda.

“Even the government has a role to play as is the case in most European countries such as Turkey where the legislature passed a bill that will see persons who
enter the playing area, changing rooms, corridors, and exit tunnels without authorisation facing a prison sentence ranging from three months to a year, or a fine.

“In addition, if a person disrupts the continuation or security of a sporting event, he may be sentenced to three years in prison.

“So Banning clubs from using their home venue I am not sure it can heal 30%, ” he concluded.

Two Karela United fans have been arrested after yesterday’s incident and the police are on the hunt for five others.